The singles are still spectacular. Too much singing and too little rap for me. A lot of songs feel like repetitive vocals over hip hop beats rather than genuine soul or R&B. But her vocals and lyrics along with the production made this album very pleasant to listen to several times throughout the day.

Fun inventive use of the two sides of the LP The white/May side is good but the black/Mercury side is really Queen coming into their own full-on. Freddie really gave a more vibrant canvas for the band to paint on. Some of these songs are every bit as good as the peak of Night at the Opera. Very glad I listened to this.

Really make full use of the multi-instrumental prowess of every band member. I’ve always been curious about this group but never listened before. Pretty consistently groovy but didn’t remember more than a tune or two after one listen.

I’m a total sucker for a three-piece band that doesn’t do a bunch of overdubs and so the bassist just has to rip way harder than most other bassists. I love Rush, Primus, The Fall of Troy, Muse and I’ve always put the police in that same category, but I’ve never listened to an entire album by them before. Surprised to hear some Proto pop punk.

This production is so crisp and vibrant yet still sounds live. The group underplays Rubin’s impact on production but this carries his signatures even in this early work. Obviously the singles enduring, and the legacy/impact of the album can’t be overstated, but the entire thing is an impressive confluence of DJ and emcees firing on all cylinders, paving the way for untold numbers of artists to follow. Walk This Way is famous, but there are several rap rock tracks that don’t get talked about enough.

Such an obvious influence on what would become the whole post hardcore genre plus bands like RATM. The guitar work is so ahead of its time.

Not for me. Just can’t get behind Byrne’s songwriting or vocal stylings. Instrumentals don’t carry things enough.

This predates the sadboy indie neofolk craze by a decade or two. I’ve been to countless Seattle open mics where ten guys who sound exactly like this are all trying to fuck the barista. Extremely meh.